Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start?

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This full-sized SUV debuted in 2004 and was first assembled in Canton, Mississippi.

It was originally based on the Nissan Titan, but most of its second generation has been manufactured in Japan.

While there is a mix between American and Japanese manufacturers, the result is the same; there are a lot of issues with this one.

Many of these problems will have you asking, “Why won’t my Nissan Armada start?”.

The baseline is that you are probably dealing with some electrical issues with the car, either in the system or with the components themselves.

The main issues that you can find are:

  1. Dead Battery
  2. Bad Starter
  3. Faulty Alternator
  4. Fuel Issues
  5. Wear, Tear, And Mismanagement

All of these have or can lead to disastrous results, which prevent the car from starting. If you are struggling with a hard-to-start Nissan Armada, this article is perfect for you!

What Would Cause A Nissan Armada To Not Start?

if you are having Nissan Armada starting issues, then read my guide

Component failure, system errors, and a general lack of management can easily make it difficult for the car to start.

I will explain the reasons I have listed above so you could understand better.

1: Dead Battery

Battery issues are quite common for cars in general. The Nissan Armada is not exclusive to battery-related problems, but that is not good.

For those who are unaware of how their car operates, you basically have a battery inside, which is used to supply energy to all the tools and parts of the car that need the energy.

The battery is a very important part of the car, which is why you need to ensure that it is working at maximum efficiency.

A dead battery can prevent your car from turning on since the engine and the other components are not getting the needed power.

Lack of maintenance and various other issues can cause this to occur.

What Should You Do About It?

  • You need to look into how much output the battery gives; this means doing a voltage test.
  • If the test is less than 12 volts, you are out of luck, and the battery is not working. If the volts are greater than 12, then you might have problems elsewhere.
  • Depending on how old the battery is, you should either decide on replacing it or getting it jumpstarted.
  • If the battery is new or less than four years old, jumpstarting should be the way.
  • Lastly, if the battery is over four years old, you are better off getting it replaced.

2: Bad Starter

Upon turning the key of your Nissan Armada, to start the engine, a lot of small components have to move together to activate the engine.

This initial movement is engaged by the engine’s flywheel, which is turned by the starter.

This should make it clear to you that if there is anything wrong with the starter, you will not be able to start the car.

The starter has a lot of smaller components as well, which can easily break apart. The more you use the starter; the more these parts start to wear out and eventually break apart.

This can be visible in the form of damaged or broken parts. You may also see oil leaks or loose wiring resulting from this.

What Should You Do About It?

  • Find and fix any things that you can see at first glance. This can include frayed or loose wires along with oil leaks.
  • Once you have fixed all of this up, you should attempt to start your Nissan Armada. If it still does not turn on, then you will need professional help.
  • It should be a priority now to visit a skilled mechanic so that they can pinpoint the issue in the starter and begin to fix it.
  • If given the option, it is recommended to get the entire starter replaced.
  • This will be a safer and more economical option as it prevents issues from creeping up in the future and further repairs down the line.

3: Faulty Alternator

Another integral component of your Nissan Armada is the alternator. This component is very important as it charges the battery, which, as I discussed, is much needed by the car.

The alternator can do this by converting the mechanical energy generated by the engine to electrical energy. It then sends it to the battery.

This keeps the battery charged. A faulty alternator cannot keep the battery charged and is hard to identify because it makes it look like the battery is the issue.

People often get their battery jumpstarted but fail to fix the real issue. Getting your car started with a faulty alternator is possible, but you risk damaging the alternator or the rest of the car even further.

For this reason, you should just get the car to the mechanic as fast as possible.

What Should You Do About It?

  • Check if there is any visible damage you can see on the alternator. If you can see any, you should probably go to the mechanic and get it fixed as soon as possible.
  • Start to note down how long your battery lasts between jump starts. If it cannot last more than a day, you definitely need to get your alternator checked out.
  • It is advised to get the alternator replaced instead of getting it fixed. This is more economical and will avoid issues down the line.
  • While you can opt to get it fixed, there is always the chance that it can cause issues later down the line.

4: Fuel Issues

You need to manage your fuel if you want to efficiently drive your car, but many people perceive that they just need fuel to keep the car running.

Unless you have experienced it firsthand, you need to know that you have to have enough fuel to start the car.

It is not enough to have it in the tank; you need to ensure that the engine is getting its proper supply; otherwise, your Nissan Armada will not be able to turn over.

Issues can arise from your negligence, i.e., when you forget to get more fuel. Actual problems can come in the form of faulty fuel pumps or leaks.

Alternatively, you could also be dealing with blockages in the pipes.

What Should You Do About It?

  • Fill your tank to the max so you can have ample fuel to start the Nissan Armada.
  • If the car does not work, you might have to thoroughly check the fuel system.
  • Start by cleaning the pipes and removing any blockages, ensuring that the fuel filters are clean and there are no leaks.
  • If you still have issues, you are probably dealing with a component issue, meaning you will have to get your car checked out by a mechanic and either get the faulty part fixed or replaced.

5: Wear, Tear, And Mismanagement

A general lack of mismanagement can also cause a lot of cars to stop being able to turn on.

For example, if you do not clean the battery at least 3 to 4 times a month, you might develop corrosion which can prevent the car from starting.

This can be expanded on when you notice that I have talked about other parts, such as the starter that slowly wear out and stop working.

While issues like this cannot be helped, you can mitigate them by ensuring that your components are well-maintained.

Worn-out components may have to be replaced or fixed as they might be preventing the car from turning on. Other components may have to get the same treatment as such.

What Should You Do About It?

  • Take your Nissan Armada to the mechanic every 3 to 4 months and get it serviced or checked. This upkeep of maintenance should help reduce all the problems.
  • If you have corrosion around your battery, you will have to remove it and work towards preventing it from happening in the future.
  • Components that are completely worn out will have to be replaced. Such components can include the spark plugs and the starter motor.
  • Maintenance can also include keeping tabs on your car’s wiring so that they do not get corroded or frayed, as that can also prevent the car from turning on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start With New Battery?

A new battery is likely not working because you have not fitted it properly.

This is likely the case, or you may have missed a wire which might be loose or detached.

New batteries also struggle at the beginning, so this might be a temporary problem and should go away after a few tries.

Q2. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start Even With A Jump?

You should check to see if you are doing the jump correctly or not. There is always the chance that you have not attached a connector correctly or not.

If your jumpstart still does not work, you might have an issue elsewhere that you need to resolve.

Q3. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start But Lights Work?

You are likely dealing with a bad battery with just enough juice to start the lights but not the Nissan Armada’s engine.

A simple jumpstart should be able to resolve the issue, but if it persists, then you are likely dealing with a dead battery which you will have to get replaced.

Q4. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start But Cranks?

Cranking means that the car’s electrical components are fine, but something is preventing the engine from engaging.

You are likely dealing with an issue with the fuel system, either a bad component or just a lack of fuel in general.

Q5. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start Just Clicks?

Clicking is more difficult to figure out as there is an electrical fault. It can be a small issue, such as a loose wire or a major component fault.

Have all the electrical components and wiring checked out by the mechanic and resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Q6. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start In The Cold Weather?

Cold weather is also a very big threat to the starting of the Nissan Armada as it can prevent the battery from operating at full capacity.

It also makes it harder for the spark plugs to engage. While making the engine very hard to turn on, all this prevents the car from getting started in the cold weather.

Q7. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start After I Get Gas?

Leaks or blockages might prevent the fuel you just got from reaching the engine. Have the fuel filters cleaned out and patch up any leaks.

If your engine is still having starting issues, you probably have a faulty component that you will have to fix or replace. Regardless, you must go to a mechanic to make that happen.

Q8. Why Won’t My Nissan Armada Start But Radio Works?

The radio functions similarly to the lights such that it does not need a lot of power to turn on. If your engine is struggling to activate, but the lights are not, you might have a bad battery.

You can apply the same steps and either get the battery jumpstarted or have it replaced.

Related: What Are The Worst Years For The Nissan Armada?

Conclusion

The Nissan Armada can be a great experience if you ensure the maintenance it deserves.

This will not only prevent the car from developing further issues, but it will also stop you from asking questions like, ”Why won’t my Nissan Armada start?”.

This guide has gone through the main issues you will likely face when operating this vehicle. However, you should also be ready to face other, less common problems.

Lastly, if you keep your car well-maintained and follow the tips listed here, you’ll be able to avoid most of them.